I've paid for my own and the membership has value for me. Honestly, access to AAngels is worth the fee alone to me and is invaluable when things get really IRROPS sideways during travel.

I primarily use PHL's lounges before a flight for a quiet place to work (i.e. emails, calls prior to a business hours departure) and for a place to cool my heels when I return (clean bathroom, quick snack, hold off until traffic dissipates before leaving for home).

I agree that the lounges that are under renovation are substandard for now, and that most connections are too short to really use a lounge with the current banked schedules in hubs.